Life's Like That
by Cath4
Summary: Set in the future, this is the story of three best friends. Courtney Tanner, Britney Katsopolis, and Lauren Gladstone. They experience first love, tragedy, joy, and heartbreak.
1. Default Chapter

_Summary: Set in the future, this is the story of three best friends. Courtney Tanner, Britney Katsopolis, and Lauren Gladstone. They experience first love, tragedy, joy, and heartbreak.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Full House. I don't own Full House, either._  
  
Chapter 1-  
  
**_7:00 a.m. Katsopolis House- Britney's bedroom_**  
  
It was a gorgeous Monday morning in San Fransisco. Bright, sunny, and warm. The only pronlem? It was also the first day of school. Britney didn't feel like moving a muscle. She wanted to stay in her bed and never get up. Never have to go to school again. But soon enough her dad was knocking on the door telling her to get up or not drive to school. Britney had just gotten her permit over the summer and took any opportunity she could find to drive. She got out of bed with effort and strode over to her closet to get dressed. In half an hour she was dressed and in the bathroom putting on her makeup. Her dad came back and said, "Come on Brit. I have to get to work." Jesse worked at the local radio station. He started before Britney was even born and slowly made his way up the work ladder. Now he was manager of the entire station.

"I'll be down in a sec." Britney called to him.

Once she was finished she went downstairs into the kitchen, grabbed a nutrition bar and she and Jesse hopped in the car. She got to school without a problem, except that she accidently cut someone off at an intersection. When they got there Jesse said, "Your mom will be back at 3, okay?"  
  
"I know! Bye dad!" She called and ran to the fron door where her best friends were waiting for her, "Hey guys."  
  
One of the girls, Lauren, brushed her long blond hair over her shoulder and asked, "What took you so long?"  
  
"Woke up late." Britney was struggling to get her cell phone into her backpack and get out her nutrition bar at the same time. She finally gave up when the bell rang a second later. She stuffed her cell into her pocket and the three girls made their way into Van Atta High. The other girl, Courtney, said, "My dad would freak if I slept in. He's think I was out late drinking the night before."  
  
"That's Uncle Danny for ya." Britney laughed.  
  
Lauren added, "At least your parents are home to get you guys up. I have to do it all on my own. Then get on the bus! Who knows when I'll be able to drive when I get my permit next month." The bell rang again and the girls said quick goodbyes and hurried off to their classes.

**_11:00 a.m. Van Atta High- Mrs. Delgado's 11th grade Spanish class_**  
  
Courtney Tanner was in her third period class, Spanish, when she saw him for the first time. She was sitting next to one of her best friends, Lauren. When he walked in Courtney whispered, "Have you seen him before?" to Lauren.  
  
She whispered back, "Yeah. He's in my homeroom. His name's Tom . . . he just moved here from Malibu. At least that's what he said when he introduced himself."  
  
Courtney nodded slowly watching Tom's every move. He talked with their teacher for a little then she pointed to a seat right next to Courtney. He walked over and sat down, "Hi!" Courtney said after he put his stuff down. She couldn't wait to talk to him.  
  
"Hi." He mumbled back.  
  
"I'm Courtney and this is my friend Lauren."  
  
Tom smiled at Lauren, "Yeah, I met her in homeroom."  
  
Courtney looked at Lauren who didn't seem like she even cared Tom was talking about her. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Tom, "So, where are you from?"  
  
Lauren lightly hit her on the shoulder, "I already told you. Malibu." Tom laughed and Lauren quickly said, "Oh, sorry." And went back to staring dully at her desk.  
  
"No, it's no problem. Yeah, I'm from Malibu." Before their conversation could go on any further Mrs. Delgado started class. Courtney kept looking over at Tom and smiling. _"Maybe this school year won't be as bad as I thought."_ She thought to herself.

**_12:00 a.m. Van Atta High- Cafeteria_**  
  
At lunch the three girls all met up and sat together at their regular table. Lauren sat down and sihed at the same time. "What's up, Laur? Something wrong?"  
  
"Oh, nothing." She said sarcastically, "Only that it's the first day of school and I completley hate it!"  
  
Courtney, who was strangley happy, said, "How can you hate it? It's awesome! It's wonderful!"  
"Put a lid on it, Court. You're only saying that because you like Tom."  
  
"Well, yeah." Courtney agreed, "But really, school's not that bad."  
  
Britney, who had been picking at the lunch her dad had packed her, lifted her head up and said, "Yeah, come on Laur. You've never been this upset on the first day of school. What's going on?"  
  
Lauren was quiet for a while figuring out if she should tell them. "My parents . . .nothing. It's nothing." They looked at her doubtingly but she said, "Come on guys. I don't want to talk about it. Please? Just let go."  
  
Like an unspoken agreement Courtney changed the subject by saying, "So, you guys want to come over after school?"


	2. Lauren

**Chapter 2-  
**  
**_4:30 p.m Tanner House- Courtney's room_  
**  
The girls all sat around Courtney's bedroom. Courtney on the bed, Britney at the desk, and Lauren on the floor next to the bed. It was the same room Courtney's older sisters had shared. It was like a hand-me-down bedroom. All the girls lied in it at one point or another. Courtney's sisters were actually her half sisters, though. Their mom died when the littlest, Michelle, was born. When Michelle was 10 their dad, Danny, married his girlfriend Vicky. The next year Courtney was born. Courtney didn't look anything like her half sisters, either. They all had blond hair, and blue eyes. Courtney had brown hair, and green eyes. Danny would always say "You're so different from how your sisters were at your age," and it made Courtney want to punch something really hard. It was like she was continually being compared to them. Which made her completley happy being around Britney, and Lauren. They didn't know DJ, Steph, and Michelle when they were Courtney's age so they didn't compare. They were actually more like her sisters then her real sisters were.  
  
They all knew each other since they were born because of their fathers. Danny and Joey, Lauren's dad, were best friends since elementary school. Danny and Jesse were brother's-in-law and Jesse and Joey were partners in business. Although, now Joey was coach of a professional hockey team. Jesse and his wife Becky started out living in Danny's attic which they turned into an apartment. Becky got pregnant and had twins, Nicky and Alex and they didn't move out until the boys were 6 and Becky got pregnant with Britney.  
  
Joey also lived with Danny after his, Danny's, wife Pam died. He lived there for 10 years before getting married and moving out. He and his wife had three kids soon after they got married, Lauren being the first. Then there was Brian, and finally Kaitlin. Lauren had to take care of her little brother and sister because Joey and Kristin were always working. And Lauren resented it. Britney and Courtney knew that, too. But lately she was showing more anger and bitterness. She wasn't her usual perky self.  
  
As Courtney was thinking this her mom walked in, "Hi, girls. Dinner's going to be ready in 5 minutes, are you two staying?"  
  
"Don't we always?" Britney asked. Vicki laughed and headed out the door again, "Okay, so I was thinking during English today . . ."  
  
Courtney jumped in with her usual joke, "Good for you! I'm proud of you."  
  
Britney grabbed a pillow and said, "Shut up, I'm trying to tell you something." she smacked Courtney on the head with the pillow. Courtney grabbed another pillow and they started a small pillow fight. Britney wanted Lauren to join in so she hit her over the head with a pillow.  
  
"Hey!" Lauren yelled, "I'm trying to do my homework here!"  
  
"Sorry," Britney said, "I just wanted you to have fun, too. You seem seriously depressed."  
  
Lauren slammed her book shut and stood up, "Well I'm not, okay?" She stood up, "Just get off my back!" She grabbed her stuff and left the room. The girls were left in shock. Lauren never acted like that.  
  
"Something's up with her." Britney said.  
  
Courtney rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Really? I couldn't tell."  
  
"What do you think it is?"  
  
"I don't know," Courtney shurgged, "Probably just PMS or something. It can't be anything serious or she would have told us."  
  
Britney nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I guess your right." She wacked Courtney in the head with the pillow again, "Come on, let's go eat. I'm hungry."

**_5:30 p.m Gladstone House- Living room_**

Lauren was sitting in her living doing her math review sheet when she heard the door slam in the kitchen. She groaned to herself and prepared herself for a battle. She slid deep into the couch. Soon the shouting was audible. Her parents were home from work. Brian and Kaitlin came into the living room and sat down next to Lauren. It was something they went through every night. At 5:30 sharp her parents would come home mad at each other for some new reason that really had no point. Lauren's little siblings would always find her no matter where she was in the house and curl up next to her. She would always hug them each and tell them it would be okay. But by the third week of incessant fighting Lauren knew it wasn't going to be alright.

15 minutes later their mom, Casey, came out of the kitchen, "Dinner will be ready in half an hour." And she went upstairs to change out of her work clothes. In a wierd sort of way the fighting was starting to become part of their lives. It hardly kept Lauren awake at night when she heard her parents whisper-yelling at each other late at night. Lauren knew her parents didn;t love each other anymore. Now she was just waiting for them to figure it out.


	3. Talks

**Chapter 3-**  
  
**_10:00 p.m Tanner House- Living room_**  
  
Courtney was sitting on the couch thinking. She was wondering what was wrong with Lauren. Lauren was always the sweetest, funniest, happiest girl in their little group. Now she was the most irritable, annoyed one. Something was seriously up and she was determines to find out what it was. Her dad walked in then with the phone to his ear, "Oh, that's so great, can I talk to him . . . hey Jake. Congratulations. No, I didn't know that. . . ." blah blah blah blah blah. Jake was Courtney's 7 year old nephew, Stephanie's son. They lived in Ohio. He was a brainiac and really annoying . . . even if he was only 7. Before she knew it Danny was off the phone. "Jake won the science fair." he told her.  
  
"Whoop-di-doo." She stared at the show on the television screen.  
  
Danny lectured her, "You could show a little more excitment. He's your nephew!"  
  
Courtney pretended to get really excited and repeated, "Whoop-di-doo!" in a more happy way then went back to the show.  
  
"I don't understand you. You're sisters weren't like this at your age." Courtney ignored him, "I'm going to bed." Still Courtney ignored him and he grumbled as he went upstairs. Courtney got up and walked into the alcove under the stairs, where they kept their computer. She logged on and saw that Lauren was on.  
  
Courtney was sitting in front of her computer talking to Lauren on line. Courtney was also worried about Lauren. Dreamergirl52: Lauren! I need your help . . . how do you say 'Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous' in Spanish?  
psychobabe88: Formas de vida del rico y del famoso. Why?  
Dreamergirl52: That assignment Mrs. Delgado gave us. Where we can write a paragraph about anything we want? I chose Good Charlotte.  
Courtney thought that would make Lauren laugh. All three girls loved Good Charlotte and they used every oppurtunity they got to write about them at school. It drove the teachers crazy,  
psychobabe88: oh Dreamergirl52: Ok, Laur. What's up? You've been acting wierd and don't give me that "get off my back" crap, okay?  
psychobabe88: It's nothing. Really. My parents are just arguing a little. Dreamergirl52: You promise that's all? psychobabe88: Promise. So . . . what are you going to do to make Tom notice you tomorrow?  
  
**_10:30 p.m Katsopolis House- Britney's room_**  
  
Britney was at her desk surfing the internet when she heard a knock on her door, "Come in!" she called. Her mom walked in and sat on her bed. Britney turned and smiled at Becky.  
  
"What do want?" Becky asked.  
  
"Nothing! Why do you always assume I want something." Becky raised her eyebrows, "Okay, I want to join the cheerleading squad at school. Erin Walters, the Varsity captain will teach anyone a cheer they do . . . for a price."  
  
Becky looked at Britney sharply, "How much?"  
  
Britney quickly said, "Oh, not much! Only, 25 dollars?"  
  
"To learn one cheer? I don't know, Brit." Britney looked down at the floor, "I'll talk to your dad about it, okay?" Britney nodded, "Anyway, I came in here for a reason, Nicky and Alex are coming down for the weekend."  
  
"Really? Sweet, I can't wait."  
  
Becky smiled, "Okay, they'll be here Friday night." Britney smiled and Becky kissed her on the head before leaving. Britney was so happy she was going to see her brothers again. They were so awesome. They both loved cars (just like Jesse) and they always included her in everything. Especially when they went out to play basketball with their friends. They always fought over whose team she'd be on. It was wierd, Britney and Alex were the only die hard sports fan in their family. Nicky was more into cars but he'd play anyway. Britney couldn't wait for the weekend.  
  
**_11:45 p.m Gladstone House- Den  
_**  
Lauren just got offline after talking to Courtney. She headed down to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, washed her face and went down the hall to her bedroom. She stopped breifly in front of her parents door and listened. She didn't hear anything. In a way it was a relief but it put her on edge. Once in her room with the door closed Lauren let out a long breath. She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath while in the hallway. As she was lying in bed she heard a creak in the hallway. She sat up and heard it again. Slowly, she got out of bed and opened her door.There. standing in the hallway with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk was her dad. "Dad? What are you doing?"  
  
"Just getting a midnight snack. You want some?" Joey asked. Lauren nodded and Joey came in. He set the cookies down on her desk and sat on the chair. "How was school?" he asked.  
  
Lauren took a cookie, "Okay, I guess. I have some easy classes but Math and Science are tough."  
  
"Those were always my worst subjects." Lauren stared at him conspicuously, "Okay, they were all my worst subjects." he laughed but soon fell silent, "That was the first time I laughed in a while."  
  
Lauren was quiet for a while but couldn't help asking, "Are you and mom going to get a divorce?"  
  
"I don't know." Joey put his arm around Lauren and she hugged him tight. 


End file.
